Weekend Open Forum: Are VR headsets and smartwatches tech fads?

Tech history is full of products that are looked back on as fads - 3D television being a prime example. But some say that we’ll eventually see two of today’s technologies face the same fate: VR headsets and smartwatches.

VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive still haven’t taken off. While the much cheaper, though admittedly less powerful, smartphone-powered devices such as the Samsung Gear VR are selling quite well, their expensive counterparts are struggling. This was made evidently clear with the news that Best Buy is closing 200 Oculus VR demo stations, reportedly due to lack of interest.

I’ve always been a fan of what the Rift and the Oculus can produce, but the lack of a killer app, the price, and limited content are holding them back. Even the PSVR, which was expected to reignite interest in virtual reality, had its sales forecast lowered in November.

Smartwatches seem to be going through a similar crisis, though to a slightly lesser extent. While there were conflicting reports over how many of the wearables sold last year, it seems many people just don’t think they’re worth the money. But manufacturers continue to bring out new products, and Android Wear 2.0 was launched a few days ago, so maybe things will change.

For this Weekend Open Forum, we want to know your thoughts on VR headsets and smartwatches. Do they need more time for their technologies to improve and become cheaper before being widely adopted? Will they forever remain slightly niche products? Or are they destined to disappear completely before the end of the decade? Whatever your thoughts, do let us know in the comments below.